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Another attempt to introduce electric cars in Pakistan

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Another attempt to introduce electric cars in Pakistan

The world is steadily moving towards a sustainable future, and this means that the automobile industry shift will be towards emission-free cars – electric cars. The demand for electric vehicles has significantly increased in the past few years due to its eco-friendly qualities.

According to some stats, the global market for electric cars will reach 35% in the coming two decades. To keep the environment clean and safe and move with the rest of the world, the auto industry of Pakistan will eventually have to shift to the electric vehicles. Anticipating a huge demand in the Pakistani market as well, S. Zial-ul-Haq & Sons is bringing electric cars to Pakistan.

The group has already imported 4 Units in CBU condition of Chinese battery operated cars “CNEVROVER” brand in Karachi and more units are on the way to Pakistan, which are currently for R&D and testing phase, these are 3.5KW Electric Car, Lithium Battery, 4-passenger, Left Hand-drive.

The company is interested to assemble and manufacturer this car in future in Pakistan. According to Automark’s information from some reliable sources, the company is intended to build an assembly plant in Karachi for the manufacturing and assembling of Cnevrover electric cars.

Electric cars can bring the import bill down considerably in Pakistan as they run on a single electrical motor, not requiring additional costs of oiling and other expenses associated with the engine. The long term benefits of electric cars are many, but the investment needed for these cars to kick off in the market is significant, both on the part of manufacturers and the government.

Specs of the Car

Driven type: Rear drive
Brake system: Hydraulic disc brake
Motor cooling system: Air cooling
Motor: 70V 3.5KW AC
Battery: 12V/120Ah Lead-acid battery 6 pieces
Charging time: 6-8H
Charging type: External type charger, 220V
Controller: 3.5kW PMAC
Distance per charge 120-150kms, base on battery
Brake distance: 5-8 meters
Tire type: 175/70R12 aluminous wheel
Window Power window
Colors White and blue, grey red

  • above specification may not match with currently imported prducts

by Aqsa Mirza / Hanif Memon

Is Pak Suzuki going to launch new model of Suzuki Swift in Pakistan?

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Is Pak Suzuki going to launch new model of Suzuki Swift in Pakistan?

There has been a lot of speculations in the auto markets that Pak Suzuki will launch the 4th generation Suzuki Swift in 2019 with a price tag of 16 Lacs PKR. The expected launch date is in June 2019, but Pak Suzuki has denied the news saying that nothing can be confirmed at this stage.

While talking to Automark, sources confirmed that Pak Suzuki have imported some mild hybrid Swift but have not decided to launch it yet.

However, market sources are anticipating that Pak Suzuki is launching Suzuki Swift that will come equipped with multiple engine configuration including a 3 cylinder 1.0 Liter booster-jet engine, KB12 1.2L petrol, SVS Hybrid and couple of diesel engines including a 1.3L and 1.5L. According to the rumors, the new Suzuki Swift is equipped with many types of driving convenience, high safety, sufficient legroom and sufficient boot space for a hatchback. The main competitors of Suzuki Swift 2019 will be Toyota Vitz, Suzuki Ignis, Honda Fit, and Toyota Aqua.

It remains to be seen whether the company will make a public statement regarding these rumours or not.

For more updates, keep tuned to Automark

by Aqsa Mirza

Honda recalls 106K trucks due to risk car wash soap could cause fuel leak, fire

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Honda recalls 106K trucks due to risk car wash soap could cause fuel leak, fire

Honda is recalling more than 106,000 of its newer Ridgeline pickup trucks in the United States due to the risk that acids like car wash soaps could cause a fuel leak thus increasing the risk of fire.

The recall covers 106,683 Ridgeline trucks from model years 2017, 2018 and 2019, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“A crack in the fuel pump feed port can allow pressurized fuel to leak out, increasing the risk of a fire,” the federal documents read. “Exposure to acids such as from car wash soaps, can result in the fuel pump feed port cracking.”

Once owners are notified, dealers will replace the fuel pump and install a new fuel pump cover, if necessary, for free. The recall notification period is expected to start March 7.
The automaker has received 14 warranty claims, six field reports but no reports of fires or injuries related to the recall. According to documents filed with the NHTSA, Honda determined the need to conduct a recall back on Jan. 17.

 

China’s Changan offers discounts to car buyers in rural areas

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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China’s Changan offers discounts to car buyers in rural areas

SHANGHAI, Feb 13 (Reuters) – China’s Chongqing Changan Automotive said on Wednesday it would offer discounts to buyers in rural areas, the first big Chinese automaker to do so after Beijing promised to roll out supportive polices for the world’s largest auto market.
The Chongqing-based carmaker said in a statement to Reuters that it would offer customers up to 22,000 yuan ($3,255.50) in purchasing subsidies on their Oshan series multiple-purpose-vehicles (MPVs) in large rural areas without specifying where.
The company said it was footing the bill for the subsidies and had not been incentivised by the government.
However, expectations of future earnings potential pushed Changan shares up nearly 10 percent to their highest level since July, in afternoon trade, after local media reported the news.
China is trying to convince consumers to loosen their purse-strings as the slowing economy prompts concerns among policymakers about jobs. State media reported earlier this month that Beijing households have been given subsidies to buy electrical appliances.
China’s state planner said last month it would provide “appropriate” subsidies to boost rural sales of some vehicles and purchases of new-energy vehicles, without giving details.
China’s car sales hit reverse for the first time since 1990s in 2018, down by 2.8 percent from a year earlier, while industry bodies and analysts said smaller cities that were leading China’s auto sales growth in the past few years, were most hit.
China Changan Automobile Group, the parent group of Changan which has joint ventures with global carmakers including Ford Motor Co, Peugeot SA and Mazda Motor Corp, sold 2.14 million cars last year, down by around 25 percent from 2017.

Pak Suzuki resume the production of Mehran VX Limited Edition in Pakistan

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Pak Suzuki resume the production of Mehran VX Limited Edition in Pakistan

In a notification to authorized dealerships across country, Pak Suzuki Motors Limited (PSMCL) has informed that the company is pleased to introduce Mehran VX Limited Edition with Air condition features. The car will be available in three colours i.e White, Silky Silver, and Graphite Grey and comes with a price tag of PKR 825,000.

It is important to mention that last year in September Suzuki officially announced to discontinue its all-time favorite and popular Mehran’s VX model from April 2019.

According to a notification issued by Pak Suzuki to its dealers, the company said that the production of the Mehran VX (without an air-conditioner) will be discontinued from November 2018 while the production of the VXR variant (with an air-conditioner) will be discontinued at the end of March 2019.

Also Read: Suzuki has finally decided to phase out of Mehran Car Model VX from Pakistan

PSMCL had also requested its vendors to carry out effective material and production management for smooth production of remaining vehicles and to avoid any surplus inventory at either end at the time of model discontinuation.

It has also been reported that the Japanese automaker has decided to replace Mehran with 660cc Alto’s variants by the mid of 2019.

According to sources, Suzuki has taken the difficult decision to discontinue one of its most-selling cars was due to the pressure from Suzuki Japan. Suzuki Pakistan had to discontinue Mehran after it was turning increasingly expensive for the parent company to provide the engine parts for the car.

by Aqsa Mirza / Hanif Memon

Ghandhara to start production of three Nissan Models in the second half of 2020

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Ghandhara to start production of three Nissan Models in the second half of 2020

Ghandhara Nissan Ltd (GNL) has announced the production of three Nissan models in the second half of 2020 in Pakistan.

Last year in March, Nissan officially announced its re-entry in Pakistan. The manufacturing and licensing agreement were signed between Nissan and Gandhara, and under that agreement, the Pakistani auto market will see the local production of Datsun models in the country.

In the starting phase, GNL will manufacture 15,000 units a year, increasing the number to 35,000 in the next five years. The automaker also intends to invest Rs 6.5 billion in the first four years. The joint venture will also create around 1800 jobs in its plant in Port Qasim, Karachi which will later be transformed into a world-class manufacturing facility.

Also Read: Nissan to begin Datsun production in Pakistan with Ghandhara Nissan

Ghandhara Nissan (GNL) Project Director and Senior Executive Director Marketing and Sales Muazzam Pervez Khan, while talking to a local newspaper said:

“We will begin with the assembly of a 1,200cc Datsun Cross in July 2020 and then roll out the 1,200cc Datsun Go (five seaters) and Datsun Go Plus (seven seaters) in the next two to three months”

Muazzam Pervez Khan further added that the company has selected at least 22 vendors for making parts of these vehicles. Talking about localization level in these three variants, he said GNL plans to achieve 35-40% indigenization in the next three years after an initial start of 18%.

Last week, Gandhara and Nissan held the first major event for parts suppliers since announcing joint production last year.

The event was attended by more than 35 local parts supplier companies. Nissan and GNL revealed their plans on support for the local component sectors including the introduction of world-class facilities, latest production processes, ongoing skills sharing and training.

CEO GNL Ahmad Kuli Khan Khattak said the company is dedicated to offering the strongest support to the component industry.

“This event demonstrates how we will collaborate closely to provide our customers with an expanded choice of products and a fantastic ownership experience,” he said.

He said Nissan’s entry in Pakistan would provide customers with a fresh and desirable line-up designed and built with modern technology and Japanese engineering.

Nissan’s Regional Vice President for Africa, Middle East, and India region, Masahiko Sakamoto said GNL and Nissan are actively working to enhance and support the local automotive sector in its ongoing development.

Earlier in 2018, the Ministry of Industries and Production (MoIP), had awarded Brownfield investment status to GNL under the Auto Development Policy 2016-21 for the revival of an existing facility.

The joint venture between GNL and Nissan Motors would provide a significant boost to the local automotive industry which already accounts for about 4pc of Pakistan’s gross domestic product.

By Aqsa Mirza

Japan among 40 nations to back U.N. draft regulation on braking systems

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Japan among 40 nations to back U.N. draft regulation on braking systems

Forty countries including Japan have agreed on a draft U.N. regulation for advanced emergency braking systems (AEBS) for new cars and light commercial vehicles from early 2020, which the European Union says it will implement from 2022, an U.N. agency said.

The new regulation, compulsory for countries that adopt it at a June session, will impose strict and harmonised requirements for automatic braking at speeds of up to 60 kms per hour to save lives, especially in urban settings, the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) said.

Japan and the EU have said the new AEBS system will become mandatory, representing some 4 million and 15 million new cars respectively each year, the statement said.

“It activates the brake to stop a crash and that’s it … It will not drive, it will brake,” UNECE spokesman Jean Rodriguez told a briefing. There will be no obligation to retrofit older vehicles, he said.

Japan and the EU have said the new AEBS system will become mandatory, representing some 4 million and 15 million new cars respectively each year, the UNECE statement said.

More than 9,500 fatalities were recorded in car crashes in cities in the EU in 2016, 40 percent of them pedestrians, it said.

The United States, China and India – which have huge domestic carmakers – are not part of the original 1958 agreement on which the latest regulation builds, Rodriguez said.

Hyundai to launch first digital car showroom in Lahore, Pakistan

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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Hyundai to launch first digital car showroom in Lahore, Pakistan

South Korean automaker Hyundai is going to introduce its first ‘Digital Showroom’ in Pakistan which will also be the first of its kind in our country.

The showroom will be opened at Emporium Mall in Lahore, that will offer car enthusiasts a matchless experience through realistic 3D screens and huge floor-to-ceiling video walls.

Prospective customers will be able to go through an easy to use dashboard which will enable them to see a 3D model of the Hyundai cars. The dashboard will also display real-time information such as the functions, features, specifications and much more of Hyundai cars. Through the touch panel, customers would be able to see the price and colors and stock availability in each model and analyze the features in different models of Hyundai vehicles. The digital car showroom will also serve an opportunity to arrange a test drive of your desired vehicle.

Although no official date has been given by Hyundai, it is expected to be launched very soon. Hyundai already has its digital car showrooms in England, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Russia. The automaker is expanding its network of digital showrooms across the world.

Hyundai, in partnership with the Nishat group in Pakistan, is all set to introduce its vehicles in Pakistan at the end of 2019. The assembly plant is under construction in Faisalabad which will be completed in the next few months after which the company would start to produce 7000 vehicles in the initial phase.

by Aqsa Mirza / Hanif Memon

SHELL ECO-MARATHON ASIA RETURNS TO MALAYSIA IN ITS 10TH YEAR

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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SHELL ECO-MARATHON ASIA RETURNS TO MALAYSIA IN ITS 10TH YEAR

Karachi (Feb 12, 2019):Shell announced today that Malaysia will host Shell Eco-marathon Asia in 2019 as part of its global Make the Future Live programme. Held at Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur, the Asia competition comes back to where it was first held in 2010, and celebrates its 10th year of challenging bright young student minds to design and build ultra-energy-efficient cars, and then take them out on the track in competition.

From April 29 to May 2 over100 teams from all over Asia and the Middle East will test their self-built energy-efficient cars in the Shell Eco-marathon Mileage Challenge, to see who can go the farthest using the least amount of energy. In 2018 Singapore hosted the event, where the winning team was efficient enough to travel 2,341 kilometres – about the distance from Malaysia to Yangon, Myanmar – on just one litre of fuel!

“Shell Malaysia is proud to host the 10th Shell Eco-marathon Asia at our home ground. It is an inspiring event that supports Shell’s vision of sustainable mobility – more energy efficient vehicles and cleaner road transport. It’s really impressive to see student teams pitting their skills against their cohorts from different countries to see who can design and build the most fuel-efficient vehicle,” explained Iain Lo, Chairman of Shell Malaysia.

“Shell has been in Malaysia for over 125 years, and we will continue to power Malaysia’s future with cleaner, innovative and competitive energy solutions, some of which will be showcased at the event,” he further added.

Student teams will also have the opportunity to qualify for the Shell Eco-marathon Drivers’ World Championship. Introduced to the Shell Eco-marathon programme in 2016, Drivers’ World Championship challenges the best UrbanConcept teams to combine the proven energy efficiency of their car with the speed and skill of their driver, in a race to see who can cross the finish line first on the least amount of fuel. Qualified teams will go to London for a chance to compete with teams from Europe and the Americas. In 2018, ITS Team 2 from Indonesia’s InstitutTeknologiSepuluhNopember Surabaya was crowned the ultimate global winner of the Drivers’ World Championship, the second Asian team to win in the three years the competition has been running.

Pakistan will again be participating in Shell Eco-marathon Asia, with a contingent of10 futuristic cars from 6 universities competing to be the most energy-efficient. Last year, a team from National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) earned the ‘Perseverance and Spirit of the Event’ Award for helping other teams compete in the race. This year the teams are more spirited and determined to bring home a race award.

”Every year, we see an increasing standard of performance, as well as team spirit and passion, among the student participants at Shell Eco-marathon Asia. The Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia is the perfect venue to witness new innovations in vehicle design come to life. We look forward to another exciting year at Shell Eco-marathon Asia,” said Shanna Simmons, Shell Eco-marathon Global Technical Director

For more information on Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2019, please visit: https://www.shell.com/make-the-future/shell-ecomarathon/asia.html

ENDS

About Shell Eco-marathon
Shell Eco-marathon can be traced back to 1939 at a Shell research laboratory in the United States as a friendly wager between scientists to see who could get the most miles per gallon from their vehicle. The winner of that contest barely achieved 50 mpg (21 km/l). These humble origins inspiredwhat is now a global programme of competitions. In 1985 in France, Shell Eco-marathon as we know it today was born. In April 2007, Shell Eco-marathon Americas event was launched in the United States, and in 2010, the inaugural Shell Eco-marathon Asia was kicked off in Malaysia.

Malaysia hosted Shell Eco-marathon Asia from 2010 until 2013. In 2014, the event moved to a street circuit in Manila, Philippines, which hosted the event until 2016. Shell Eco-marathonAsia then moved to Singapore at the Make the Future Festival from 2017 to 2018. This 2019, in its 10th year, Shell Eco-marathon Asia returns to the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

ENQUIRIES:
Cindy Lopez
Head, South East Asia/South Asia, Media Relations
[email protected]

MichVillar
Shell Spokesperson
[email protected]

Elaine Villanueva
Shell Spokesperson
[email protected]

Overloading ban  – Federal government enforces a weight limit on trucks

Muhammed Hanif Memon
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0
Overloading ban  – Federal government enforces a weight limit on trucks

The Federal government has decided to enforce the load limit on trucks plying on the national highways and motorways. In a letter sent to the Chairman of Fleet Operators Association of Pakistan (FOAP) by Ministry of Communication, overloading on provincial highways will be considered Illegal and heavy fine would be imposed, officials said.

In a meeting held on 16-01-2019, all the DIsG/Zonal Commanders of NHM&MP were directed to sensitize the cluster points of load origin including KPT, Port Qasim, PIBT, freight agents, truck operators, and importers/exporters and check the permissible load limits which is 58,500 kg. This includes the payload, weight of tractor head and weight of semi-trailer.

As per National Highway Safety Ordinance 2000, the government would start crackdown after the deadline 15-02-2019 against those who will not abide by the load per axle instructions.

by Aqsa Mirza / Hanif Memon

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